Meet the woman who’s using extreme coupon clipping to help hurricane survivors. Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and Out the Door. (You can also get “5 Things You Need to Know Today” delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up here.)
1. Hurricane Irma
It wasn’t strong winds or floodwaters that killed people at a Florida nursing home — it was the lack of power. Eight residents at the Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills died after Hurricane Irma knocked out electricity. The center didn’t have air conditioning for three days, leaving the staff scrambling to keep residents hydrated and cool with fans and portable air units. Several state agencies have started investigations, and Florida’s governor issued an emergency moratorium to keep the nursing home from admitting new patients.
Florida Keys residents are returning to devastated homes, and much of eastern Florida still has no power. President Trump and the first lady visit storm-wrecked parts of the state today. Meantime, people on hard-hit Caribbean islands, like Anguilla and St. Thomas, are being evacuated to Puerto Rico.
2. DACA
The President had dinner with Democrats — and struck a deal (no, you’re not still dreaming). Democratic leaders — you know them as Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Nancy Pelosi; Trump just calls them “Chuck and Nancy” — say an agreement was reached to fix DACA and work out border security issues, though it does NOT include a border wall. The White House was less definitive on this, saying, yes, fixes to the program, which protects from deportation undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children, were discussed, but the President will continue to push for the wall.
Folks on the right are ticked off about this news. Breitbart, the site of ex-White House adviser Steve Bannon, called the President “Amnesty Don.” Conservatives have been highly suspicious of Trump’s sudden embrace of the Dems and the concept of bipartisanship.
3. Hillary Clinton
Welcome back to Campaign 2016, the election that will never end. Hillary Clinton’s doing her part to keep it going by talking about her new book, which tries to explain “What Happened” and why she lost. She blames herself, of course, but also James Comey, the Electoral College, the Russians. And those folks who’ve been coming up to her post-election saying they regret not voting last year? Save your breath, she says. Clinton is not forgiving you.
4. Susan Rice
We now know why Susan Rice ‘unmasked’ the IDs of senior Trump officials during the transition. The former national security adviser told House investigators she wanted to know why the crown prince of the United Arab Emirates was in New York late last year, sources told CNN. Foreign dignitaries usually notify the US government of visits, and the UAE hadn’t mentioned that Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan was in town. This New York trip preceded a separate effort by the UAE to facilitate a back-channel communication between Russia and the incoming Trump White House.
Rice’s previously undisclosed revelation shines new light on a practice that had come under sharp criticism from House Intelligence Committee chairman Rep. Devin Nunes and the President, who previously accused Rice of committing a crime. But her explanation appears to have satisfied some influential Republicans, undercutting Nunes and Trump, and raising new questions about whether any Trump associates tried to arrange back-channel discussions with the Russians.
5. School fire
At least 21 children and two teachers were killed when a fire broke out at a school in Kuala Lumpur. Witnesses reported hearing cries for help from inside the burning building and seeing children unable to escape because of metal grills on windows. Renovations to the building had reportedly blocked a fire exit. Officials are examining whether an electric short circuit caused the fire.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“It was not me”
Sen. Ted Cruz, telling CNN’s Dana Bash that a staffer was to blame for a porn video getting a “like” from his Twitter account
BREAKFAST BROWSE
People are talking about these. Read up. Join in.
‘Taken’ a break?
Liam Neeson hints he might be done with action movies (he thinks he’s too old), so what will he do with that “very particular set of skills” now?
Hunky heroes
Lots of people want to be saved by these cops from Gainesville, Florida, after the officers posted pictures of themselves to social media before Irma hit.
Does this come with a drink?
Quick, hop on a plane and travel to Taipai, where a restaurant will happily sell you a bowl of beef noodle soup for $325.
Baby love
Social media let out a collective “awww” after Serena Williams posted a picture of her newborn daughter to Instagram.
The collector
‘Pharma bro’ Martin Shkreli offered a reward for a strand of Hillary Clinton’s hair. So, a judge offered him a cell at the nearest jail.
NUMBER OF THE DAY
21
The number of games the Cleveland Indians have won in a row, an American League record for consecutive victories
AND FINALLY …
Don’t believe your eyes
This guy’s optical illusions are something to see. (Click to view)